Evan Gattis connected on his first career hit and home run against the Phillies on Tuesday. / Daniel Shirey, Getty Images

by Ted Berg, USA TODAY Sports

by Ted Berg, USA TODAY Sports

Evan Gattis gave up on his baseball career at age 19, then spent time in various odd jobs and briefly in drug rehab before catching on with a junior college team four years later. Now 26, Gattis made his big-league debut for the Atlanta Braves on Tuesday night.

During Gattis' second at-bat, the Braves' broadcast team on FOX Sports South found Gattis' parents in the crowd to interview father Jo Gattis about the rookie's meandering path to the big leagues.

"Did you ever imagine he'd end up in this situation?" reporter Tom Hart asked the elder Gattis.

"No, I did not," Jo Gattis said. "He told me he was done and I ... ,"

As his father explained how improbable it was for Gattis to even reach the majors, Gattis turned on a 1-1 pitch from Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Roy Halladay and drove it over the left-center field wall in Turner Field for his first career hit and first home run.

"There he goes," said Jo Gattis when his son connected.

"Amazing," Gattis added while clapping loudly as his son rounded third.

Video of Gattis' homer - with a snippet of Jo Gattis' interview - can be seen at MLB.com.